in 1997 black lab released their geffen records debut your body above me to critical acclaim. they mesmerized modern-rock radio with the haunting singles “wash It away” and “time ago,” both Top-40 hits on alternative rock and pop formats. The group’s intelligent, heartfelt lyrics and wide-screen guitar attack had them compared to U2.

this album represents the passion of singer/songwriter paul durham, funneled through the psychedelic sound wash of michael belfer’s guitar, the swirling grind of geoff stanfield’s bass, and the brute precision of michael urbano’s drumming. the band spent 1998 on the road with bryan head on drums, coming home to find their record label out of business. they had played dives and stadiums, opening for some of their biggest heros (the cure, echo & the bunnymen, etc.). they had made videos for MTV, placed songs on film soundtracks and tv shows, and trashed hotel rooms.

in the meantime, hundreds of thousands of people all over the world had bought the cd and proceeded to wear it out. in the years that have followed, as the band fell apart and resurrected itself, getting in and out of internal battles and record deals, the album has become difficult to find.

recently, a vision started to accrue in paul’s brain about re-releasing the record in a definitive version. this version would reinstate some of the music that was edited out in the mastering process as well as add two songs that had been recorded for the album back into the lineup. the late-90’s mastering job had also not aged well and paul wondered what the album could sound like with a proper, cutting edge treatment.

in addition, paul wanted to tell the story of the band, how it and and the songs came together in the making of your body above me. the outcome of all this is the director’s cut, the definitive version of black lab’s classic debut. with twelve pages of never-before-seen photos, extensive liner notes, song-by-song commentary and comprensive lyrics, this package represents a must-have for any fan and the perfect place to start for anyone unfamiliar with black lab’s early material.

i was at a counting crows concert, and adam said that sometimes you hear a song so many times that it loses what it really means, and you’re just hearing the song, not what lives beneath the music. and that sometimes you’ve gotta play them differently, and you’ll hear something else that wasn’t there before and you can sort of rediscover the song, the meaning behind it and what it means to you. i find that in this album. although the songs were not changed that drastically… they’ve got such a new mix right down the order of the songs. with the additional two minuets added to the album, it sounds like so much more… i’d even say that it’s an entirely new album. it offers a whole new experience, just with familiar songs. with the new mix, the all to familiar songs have almost a holy sound to them… bringing something that was amazing, to a whole new level. especially with an album i’ve been listening to for the past nine years, this “ultra-lux edition” is a rarity among, classic 90’s rock, the perfect, perfected. the director’s cut of your body above me is a second chance with the one that got away.

Rivendor – forum

I think I enjoy the liner notes the best. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the full album and the song arrangement is superb, but it’s the letter to the listeners, and some background on each song that really make this CD hit home.

Raich – forum

The Director’s Cut of YBAM certainly does not dissapoint. I’m midway through the third listen now, and there is sort of an intensity and sharpness about the sound. I dunno if it’s still the excitement but chills are going on over here!

Thanks SOO much Paul. I know I’ll honestly treasure this record, and it’s incredible how and old friend like YBAM can be remastered to sound so noticeably better

Woo! Walk Slow guitar solo!!!

P.S. I BLOODY LOVE THE REDONE X-RAY!!!!

Stoka – forumSimply brilliant! Like falling in love all over again!

It all flows noticably better, sounds better, the extra minutes of sound are noticable to the die hard and improve the record. Linear notes offer up a cool insight into the whole process as does the little bit of prologue. Very glad i bought it!

TRN – forum

Your Body Above Me-the Director’s Cut is a brilliant work of genious! You guys amaze me.

b – myspace

I first saw this band in new Orleans just after the disc came out — the best show ever. Got the CD at the show, and have been listening to it ever since. The music is timeless, easy to sing to, and has a quality of songwriting often lost in the music coming out ever since. Every single track could have been a standalone single. There is a reason that fans of this band are some of the most loyal around.

sadiedog – iTunes

lyrics

wash it away. wash it in the sea let it soak all night. wash it in the sea let the saltwater wash it away. soak it in bleach till it’s white on white, soak it in bleach till the blood just washes away. hang it in the wind let it blow all night. hang it up high let the high wind blow it away. hang it in the wind let the sun burn bright. hang it in the wind till the blood just washes away. i have waited wasted years for the child that’s come and gone today. say what about this wasted fear. how can i just turn and wash it away. if i can then i will wash it away. if she can then she will wash it away. forty years spent one by one. forty years of life just slipping away. what i’d give for a firstborn son. forty years of blood just washing away. i have waited wasted lives. i have waited long enough i’d say. say what about this wasted child. how can i just turn and wash it away. if i can then i will wash it away. if she can then she will wash it away. send me an angel. send me the ghost that i was. that i am. i will wash it away. she will wash it away.

she loves me. creep down to the waterline you’re twisting away. the game is over you can’t keep twisting away. buy myself a rose at the end of the day. please believe me you can’t keep twisting away. she loves me she loves me not. whether she knows it. she loves me she loves me not. whether it’s suicide. shake the bottle out you’re shaking it clean. you shake no you can’t keep twisting away. crack me open do you know what i mean? you shake shake you’re twisting away. she loves me she loves me not. slip outside of your mind. slip the far side over the ice. slide you’re taking it on. slip i hope you’re not already gone. she loves me. she loves me. she loves me not.

x-ray. how come you never look at me no more? take it easy, babe. go slow now. how come you never touch me anymore? take it easy, you don’t want to know now. how come you never break the skin no more? take it easy, babe. don’t go now. how come you never let me in no more? take it from me, i’ll break it to you slow now. she looks through me like an x-ray. like a fire burning out of the fireplace. she looks through me like an x-ray. i’m saying all the right lies to the wrong face. how many faces can you fake, boy? how many lies? how many know now? say how can you never make a choice? i’ll break it to you slow, now. she looks through me like an x-ray. like a fire burning out of the fireplace. she looks through me like an x-ray. like a surgeon come tearing at my heartbreak. don’t be seen with me. she sees everything. she looks through me like an x-ray.

time ago. i watch your window for hours. moon has set down without us. all by ourselves riding in the front seat watch the sun come up. all by ourselves we would run. remember? it was so long ago. it was a long time ago. feel your hand close beside me. hear the highway behind me. all by ourselves we made love under the sleeping moonless night. all by ourselves we would run. remember? it was so long ago. it was a long time ago. i couldn’t stop you crying. or stop myself from fighting back. i tried but never hard enough,. don’t you remember, love? all by myself i can see it like it’s right before my eyes. by myself time goes by. remember? it was so long ago. it was a long time ago.

can’t keep the rain. is there something you’d like to do tonight? i got some bridges to burn. i’d like to fly away tonight for whatever it’s worth. keep the salt out of my eyes can you keep the heat in the air? maybe i’m making the whole thing up. maybe you’re not even there. i called your machine just to hear your voice. i know you were listening when all i could hear was noise. and all the demons around my bed call your name like they want you dead. but i can’t keep the rain from getting in. one more night. i set fire to the car tonight to keep from running away. i needed something loud and bright to keep the memory at bay. sometimes i shout a lot . there’s thing i know how to say. sometimes i get scared i just get carried away. i called your machine just to hear your voice. but i can’t keep the rain from getting in. one more night. well i call your name just to hear the sound hang in the air as i walk around but i can’t keep the rain from getting in. one more night.

thin white lie. you get me high one last time. one more second to let you save my life. ‘cause i don’t need it anymore. but o my darling, here we go. you get me high in that long white summer dress. take it off outside in the long green grass and i don’t need it anymore. but it feels so good, o my lord. we talk about it. we take the long way ‘round. come on angel. there’s only one way out. one way. you can make it easy. just walk away now baby. one way. make it easy on me. just walk away now, please. are you a siren? you call me out. you make it hard on me. it’s hard to turn you down. but i don’t need it anymore. so keep your distance, o my lord. we talk about it. there’s only one way out.

anything. it could have been anyone could have been a woman or a man. must have swept her away made her forget who i am. it could have been anyone could have slipped me a drug. must have been a permanent dose to make me forget who she was. it could have been anything could have been the time we spent alone. maybe too much time together maybe too close to the bone. it could have been anything any word i might have said. just a look i might have given just the angle of my head (i forget). but we come we go. we say that we know. but we don’t remember and we don’t remind each other. we come we go. we say that we know. but we don’t remember. no we don’t recognize each other. it could have been anyone any rumor passed around. someone made her doubt me made her head for higher ground. it could have been anything any gesture or word. maybe something i misstated something she misunderstood (i would). we come we go. but we don’t remember. and we don’t recognize that maybe this time things might work out right. maybe this time she might catch my eye. maybe something anything could strike me blind and i might remember her and she might remember me this time. it could have been anyone anything the ring around her finger. it could have been anything any piece that’s shattered on the way. it could have been anything anyone she’ll take another lover. it could have been anything anything anything anything. we come we go. but we don’t remember. and we don’t recognize each other.

ten million years. it’s such a simple thing. i never feel this way. i have nightmares i have dreams of you gone. there is something in you i want today. so hide the bones away beneath the yellow lines. you’re scared of what you lose or what you might gain this time. i love you more than i should. i would wrap my heart in bands of rosewood. i love you more than i should. i would stay beside you here ten million years. you see yourself in the mirror. you see yourself at night. you see yourself in the gutter, baby you see yourself like a start shining bright. i love you more than i should. i would stay beside you here ten million years. every minute every hour every second you take me over. every night of every day i wait i take i know i take but i love you more than i should. i would stay inside you here ten million years.

all the money in the world. switch the children watch the women scream. listen to the big machine. let’s have a party, let’s get some fireworks. let’s see how long we forget how the game goes. marigolds gone to soldiers gone to seed. listen to the big machine. all the money. all the money in the world. all the money. all the money can’t burn your big machine. we wave our hands in bright white shades. we wave our flags, our billy clubs & spades. help us now this is our hour of need. listen to the big machine. all the money. all the money can’t burn your big machine.

sleeps with angels. she sleeps with angels way up high in the air. she sleeps with angels she got angels in her hair. they call her gabrielle from the way that she sings. o lover come you ought to get you some wings. she sleeps with angels up in the sky. sleeping with angels you can’t help but get high. when your bag gets heavy baby lay down your load. get on your hands and knees and do like you been told. you can ask for more or ask for less. or you can just sleep forever in that big feather bed. with the angels in their long white robes. sleeping with jesus lord, sleeping with jove. sleep with the angels mama never look back. sleep with the angels while the sky turn to black. you can sleep under ladders on the tracks of a train. but sleeping in the clouds won’t keep you out of the rain.

bring it on. you pound pound pound man it doesn’t get you anywhere. i’m the one with the blond hair now i’m dyeing it blue black. you take take take man does it get you hot. you don’t know what you got. now i’m taking it all back. i’m going away. i’m going away from here. you fly fly fly yeah you think you’re superman. well let me tell you clark kent. i know who you are. i’m going away. i’m going away from here. you’re bringing it on yourself. you’re not that far not that far no you’re not that far from me. you’re not that far away from me. i’m going away. i’m going away from here. you’re bringing it on yourself.

gates of the country. april. back in new york. the 31st floor. it seems somehow everything’s changed. the kitchen too small. plates on the wall. the sound of machinery. may. where have you been? who were you running with? wasn’t he someone you used to call home? where is the ring? where is the boy who went traveling alone? she is much better without me. she walks through the gates of the country. hands at her side. and i smile as i watch her walk by. somehow i see there are ships in her eyes. she is better off now. june the curtain is shut. the patterns are cut. the maid who will wake you at dawn. pulls out a chair. pulls down your hair. it’s just like you wanted. july. what’s going on. what are you running from. why are you sleeping alone on the floor. some people change. others hang on till they can’t anymore. she is much better without me. she walks through the gates of the country. hands in the air. and i smile as i watch her walk by. somehow i see there are ships in her eyes. she is much better now.

walk slow. there’s smoke from underneath the bed. like her father’s eyes touching her instead. and just around ten the lights get low. she cuts her hair she’s walking slow I know she’s walking by herself. so go on, walk by now there’s nothing left wait around for now this time. so go on, walk slow now there’s nothing left wait around for when I’m falling out falling down. there’s a cross that hangs above the gate. the ties that bind are they old enough to break. she covers her eyes covers her mouth. north carolina headed south she’s walking by herself. it’s been one too many nights one too many nights without you.

james. so put yourself in the picture up on the wall. don’t look too close maybe don’t look at all. it’s a family portrait in taking the blame. a whole life savings gone up in flames yeah. picture yourself on the street today. a crowd of people turning away yeah. a crowd of people burned alive. say you’re lucky just to survive. as the plane comes down on cannery row he found a city where nobody knows him and james he went back. he went back and it doesn’t surprise me at all. he went back. he went back and it doesn’t surprise me at all. james is playing doctor again. I gotta get him off the dioxin. he tells me I’m going be alright. stay out of mirrors and out of the sunlight. well I lost track of the good times I really hope you can find my my my james.